Not applicable to this application.
Not applicable to this application.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to railroad clip applicators and more specifically it relates to a railroad clip applicator system for efficiently securing a fastening clip to a receiver bracket of a crosstie.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Crossties are an essential part of a railroad""s structure. A crosstie is basically a transverse beam or rod serving as a support for the rails of a railroad. Crossties have conventionally been constructed of wood wherein a bracket structure is secured to each crosstie adjacent the rail with a spike driven into thereby securing the rail to the crosstie.
However, crossties are seeing heavier and more-frequent train wear than ever before. Wood, the perennial favorite, is seeing more competition from alternative materials, such as concrete, steel and plastic. Railroads are becoming more aware of alternative materials in their search to extend the life of their structures. Concrete crossties are the second most common form of crosstie after wooden crossties. Fastening clips are attached to a receiver bracket formed within or secured to the concrete adjacent to the rail thereby securing the rail in place upon the concrete crosstie. A common type of fastening clip is comprised of a C-shaped structure having a lower U-shaped portion curving upwardly and forwardly into a pair of parallel prongs with a rear slot between. To apply the fastening clip, the user must compress the sides of the prongs together and then insert into the receiver bracket and then release the prongs thereby locking the fastening clip within the receiver bracket and securing the rail to the receiver bracket.
However, it can be a very time consuming and tedious task to compress the sides of the fastening clips and then insert the fastening clips into the bracket structures of the concrete crossties. Hence, there is a need for an efficient fastening clip applicator system.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for efficiently securing a fastening clip to a receiver bracket of a crosstie. Conventional clip applicators are manual orientated and are time consuming to secure a fastening clip to a receiver bracket.
In these respects, the railroad clip applicator system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of efficiently securing a fastening clip to a receiver bracket of a crosstie.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of railroad clip applicators now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new railroad clip applicator system construction wherein the same can be utilized for efficiently securing a fastening clip to a receiver bracket of a crosstie.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new railroad clip applicator system that has many of the advantages of the railroad clip applicators mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new railroad clip applicator system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art railroad clip applicators, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing, a handle structure attached to the housing, an actuator secured within the housing, an engaging structure attached to the actuator for engaging a fastening clip, and a pair of lower arms extending from the housing to engage a lower side of a rail. The engaging structure is comprised of a pair of guide pins slidably positioned within the housing, and an engaging member having a center member and a rear member for engaging the rear portion of the fastening clip. The actuator forces the engaging structure forwardly thereby causing the fastening clip to slide within the tapered slot of the receiver bracket until the fastening clip is fully secured upon the receiver bracket.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a railroad clip applicator system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a railroad clip applicator system for efficiently securing a fastening clip to a receiver bracket of a crosstie.
Another object is to provide a railroad clip applicator system that does not require significant manual labor.
An additional object is to provide a railroad clip applicator system that decreases the amount of time required to secure a fastening clip within a receiver bracket.
A further object is to provide a railroad clip applicator system that does not require more than one person to secure a fastening clip.
Another object is to provide a railroad clip applicator system that ensures proper securing of the fastening clip within a receiver bracket.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.